Could threat of severe weather mean another explosion at Rubbertown plant?

Posted March 23, 2011 at 11:07 AM

Louisville, Ky. (WHAS11) - There are new fears Wednesday at Carbide Industries after an explosion Monday killed two employees and injured two others in the Rubbertown area.

Could the threat of severe weather mean another possible explosion?

Firefighters will try to make their way into a building at the Carbide Industries chemical plant.

But as small fires continue to burn in Rubbertown, wet weather could be a big problem.

Officials say a highly combustible chemical could react violently to any water.

Firefighters are on standby due to the threat.

They're monitoring the weather for high winds and rain.

Officials say a chemical called calcium carbide is highly sensitive to water and any moisture.

"It reacts violently and you could have an explosion. If there's any in there you could have a fire," said Jody Meiman of the Lake Dreamland Fire Department.

Another blast would be the worst case scenario after two workers were killed and two others hurt.

Steve Nichols, 59, and Jorge Medina, 56, died of severe burns.

The longtime workers were in the control room just 25 feet away from the explosion.

In the next few hours, firefighters and chemical plant managers will try to make their way into that room and to a furnace area where the calcium carbide is stored, possibly through access points from other buildings.

They are allowing flames from residual mineral oil to burn out.

"We're going to walk around the furnace with Lake Dreamland Fire Department without any respiratory protection and assess the situation, if the cover of the furnace is intact and the siding looks pretty good. We don't anticipate any problem with the rain," said Carbide Industries Manager John Gant.

The Environmental Protection Agency continues to monitor the air in roughly a dozen locations around the Rubbertown plant.

Nothing toxic has been detected so far.

"All the data that's come back indicates there's no threat to the community from the material that was involved in the accident," said Art Smith of the Environmental Protection Agency.

There are 130 Carbide Industries employees off work without pay.

Managers estimate hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage to their building and it could take months before the furnace is rebuilt.

The EPA says they will continue to monitor the air around the chemical plant for any toxic particles. Right now, it's safe.